We spend a good deal of the summer on Long Island and I'm not exaggerating when I say that we eat fish five nights a week. When fish is local and fresh, it's something I never tire of. The usual suspects of locally caught Long Island fish includes red snapper, fluke, skate wing, swordfish and mahi mahi. In the Hudson Valley, and specifically our area, fresh fish is harder to come by. One fish almost always available in the Hudson Valley is trout, and we eat it a lot. Trout is a lot like salmon, and therefore can be treated similarly when cooking. It's a little flakier than salmon, a touch lighter in color and, because trout is generally a smaller fish than salmon, a thinner filet. It's a perfect fish to roast, because it only takes about 5 minutes to get to medium in the oven.
5 years ago, in what now feels like another lifetime ago, I had a prepared meal delivery service in Brooklyn. One dish that was a customer favorite was our pastrami spiced salmon and it's still something that I crave often. This recipe is almost always my answer to the dinner quandary when we're tired of eating meat and also tired of simply roasted trout. The addition of the crust of spices, along with a touch of sweetness really bring out the delicate flavor of the salmon (or trout). The name of this dish used to confuse people, as there is no pastrami or ham in this recipe. When most people think of pastrami they think of a huge Katz’s Deli sandwich on rye with mustard, not coriander and peppercorn, but as it turns out, those are the main spices used when making classic pastrami. To reiterate: this recipe does not have meat in it, and does not taste like meat.
The use of whole spices in this recipe are key. If you don’t have a spice grinder at home, I would highly suggest getting one. If you’ve never cooked with freshly ground spices, you will be surprised at how much more flavorful your food becomes once you start using them. This might sound a really unnecessary “fancy” kitchen tool that you definitely don’t need, but I’m telling you that it really does make all the difference and it’s worth it! The Cuisinart Spice Grinder costs about $35 and is amazing. Parenting bonus: toddlers LOVE using a spice grinder. It takes very little effort to press down and makes a sound like a vacuum cleaner that my kids used to be obsessed with. It’s a great way to get kids involved with cooking and excited to taste what you're making. This dish is great for kids of all ages too. The parsnip puree is better than most baby food out there and used to be a common stand in for us. I’m a big proponent of getting kids to eat real food as soon as they start eating so that they begin to develop a unique palate. I’m not 100% sure if that’s true, seeing as at the moment I have two of the pickiest eaters on the planet, but it makes me feel better about the process, so I’m going to continue to believe it. The one thing I will say about the pastrami spice mix is that if your kid is in a “that’s too spicy” phase like mine often is, they might give this part of the dish a big thumbs down. I usually leave one or two pieces of fish unseasoned for this reason.
‘Pastrami’ Spiced Salmon with Roasted Vegetables & Parsnip Puree Serves 4
1.5 lbs trout (or salmon), skin on, cut into 4 equal pieces
¼ cup whole coriander seeds
¼ cup whole black peppercorn seeds
4-5 small parsnips or 3 large, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
1 idaho potato, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
½ cup heavy cream (if you’d like to make it dairy free replace with oat milk or coconut milk)
4 large basil leaves
Juice from 1 lemon
1 pint brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, outer leaves removed, halved
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
¼ cup maple syrup
3 tbs olive oil
Salt to taste
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Preheat oven to 375°. Place the parsnips and potato in a pot and cover with cold water. Salt well. Bring to a boil and then lower the temp slightly to medium high. Cook until the parsnips can be broken up easily with a fork, about 15 minutes. Once cooked, strain and transfer the parsnips and potatoes to a food processor. With the machine running, add the cream (or dairy free milk), lemon juice and basil. Season with salt. You don’t want to over blend the puree because it will begin to get sticky. If after a few minutes it’s still lumpy, add a bit of warm water and pulse. Parsnip puree can be made a day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, return to a pot over medium heat along with a splash of cream or water.
In a bowl, toss the brussels sprouts with 1 tbs of olive oil and season with salt. Spread evenly on a sheet pan lined with tin foil or parchment paper and roast for 10 minutes or until brown and crispy. Repeat with the cauliflower roast until light brown. If you have a spice grinder, grind the coriander and the peppercorns together. If you don’t have a spice grinder, place the whole spices in a zip lock bag and remove all of the air. Place the bag on a strong cutting board between two dish towels and use a hammer or meat tenderizer to crush spices. This is also a really great way to release stress, just make sure you’re using a surface that can’t break or scratch. If you’re using pre-ground spices, mix them together. Spice mixes can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container.
Line a baking sheet with tin foil and pour the remaining 1 tbs olive oil onto the foil. Roll each piece of trout in the oil until all 4 pieces are evenly coated. Add a touch more oil if they still seem dry. Place the olive oil coated trout, skin side down and season well with salt. Pour the spice mixture on top of the trout so that it’s completely coated. Don't worry if some excess spices fall off. Drizzle maple syrup on top of each piece. Roast in the oven for about 5-7 minutes or until the fish has cooked through and the spices have formed a crust.
I’m a big believer that if fish skin isn’t perfectly crispy, it shouldn’t be served, so I suggest you remove trout from skin. The easiest way to do that is to use a metal spatula or offset spatula and put it between the cooked trout and skin. The trout should lift off the skin easily, leaving the skin stuck to the tin foil.
Serving suggestion: Place a large spoonful of parsnip puree down on the plate and gently spread with the back of the spoon. Top with the roasted vegetables and trout. Serve hot or at room temperature.
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